Air Force bomb-sniffing dog retires with full military honors (VIDEO)

A heroic Air Force bomb-sniffing dog that has been credited with saving dozens of military lives throughout his career retired with full military honors Friday during a ceremony at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.

Eddie, a 5-year-old Belgian Malinois, has seen combat in Afghanistan and has also served to protect the president and vice president. He’s detected multiple improvised explosive devices and saved many lives throughout his service, but his military days have finally come to a close and Eddie will now be reunited with his first handler, Fox News reports.

While deployed in Afghanistan in 2012, Eddie sniffed out two IEDs containing 10 pounds of homemade explosives. Staff Sgt. Shannon Hutto, Eddie’s handler at the time, spotted the bomb just 6 inches away from his foot. Later that year Eddie detected another IED, this time concealed on a bridge that was about to be crossed. Eddie’s keen sense of smell and high discipline helped save dozens of military lives, and countless more civilians.

Eddie was honored during the retirement ceremony. Dozens of troops clapped and saluted him and he was even given a cake made out of peanut butter and bananas.

While Eddie was required to maintain the strictest of disciplines while operating as a bomb-sniffing dog, he will soon be able to indulge in some well-deserved luxuries.

“He can go and be a pet,” said Hutto. “100 percent, sitting on the couch, playing with toys, sleeping in the bed.”

Although Hutto said he will be forever grateful to Eddie for saving his life, now the dog will be reunited with his first handler, Andrew Grymes.

[ Fox News ]